


Two of a Kind

by Pony Girl (Jackjunkie)



Category: Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman
Genre: Drama, Gen, Western
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-20
Updated: 2012-11-20
Packaged: 2017-11-19 02:43:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/568174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackjunkie/pseuds/Pony%20Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected visitor starts Hank thinking about his life choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two of a Kind

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Ride 'Em, Cowboy! #2

The bounty hunter rode slowly into Colorado Springs. He swayed a bit in the saddle as his horse picked its way down the quiet street. He reached a cluster of rough wooden buildings housing businesses such as a barber shop and a general store. Realizing he had reached the center of the small town, he pulled the horse to a stop. Clutching his side and taking great care with every motion, he climbed laboriously down from the animal. Standing beside it, he hung on to it and waited for the wave of nausea and dizziness to pass. Breathing deeply, he let go of the horse, took two steps forward, and sank to his knees with a gasp.

A man who had been lounging in the doorway of the general store ran down the steps and into the street. He bent over the stricken man and asked him what was the matter.

The man kneeling in the dirt looked up through his curtain of long, straggling hair and asked, “Ya got a doc in this town?”

“We got a …? Whaddya mean do we got a doc? Course we got a doc, you know that,” the Good Samaritan answered irritably. Noticing the red stain spreading past the hurt man’s fingers pressed into his side, he looked over his shoulder and called, “Jake! Jake, come help me out here.”

A man emerged from the barber shop. “What’s all the hollerin’ about, Loren?” Then, taking in the sight in the street, he hurried over to the other two. “What’s wrong with Hank?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” testily replied the man addressed as Loren. “I ain’t the doctor round here. Help me get him in to Dr. Mike’s.”

The ailing man wondered momentarily who Hank was, but didn’t have the breath to waste asking nonessential questions. His two rescuers half supported, half carried him into a nearby building. Rows of gleaming medical instruments were arrayed around the room.

A very attractive woman hurried over to them. Her features were delicate and her tawny hair hung in a long braid down her back. “What happened to Hank?” she asked, frowning in apparent concern.

Hank again. The patient was getting curious, but was more interested in the name of the pretty nurse.

“Looks like he got shot,” the man Loren answered her question.

“Bring him over here,” the woman indicated.

They lowered him onto an examination table. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he lay down and allowed her to pry his fingers from his side and begin examining the injury.

He watched her probe the wound surely yet carefully. “Where’s the doc?” he asked.

“I’m right here, Hank,” the woman answered as she continued to work.

“Who’s Hank?” He might be hurt but he knew his own name and it wasn’t Hank. These people were acting a mite peculiar.

“Dr. Mike, you think he hurt his head, too?” the barber inquired.

“I’ll give him a complete examination, but I suspect he’s disoriented from shock.”

“A woman doctor. Ain’t that somethin’!” Though it wasn’t what he’d expected, he made no protest. He’d travelled enough that few things surprised him anymore. Besides, he’d be a fool to object to a pretty woman taking care of him.

“Now, Hank, you know Dr. Mike is a woman doctor,” Loren said in the manner of one addressing a backward child.

“Will you people stop calling me that!” He was losing patience with this nonsense. He struggled to sit up. It was difficult to be forceful while flat on one’s back.

“Loren, Jake, don’t excite him. Hank, I want you to lie down and let me take off your shirt,” instructed the lady doctor.

“Michaela, I thought you’d never ask,” said a new voice as another man walked in the door.

Three people froze, looking from the newcomer to the patient and back again.

The barber rubbed his eyes. “I really gotta cut down on my drinkin’. Now I’m seein’ double,” he muttered.

“It ain’t the drink, Jake,” said Loren. “But, but… but, Hank… you’re here… so how could you be there… I mean… I don’t… mercy.” He took out a handkerchief and wiped his face.

The bounty hunter looked into his own image standing before him and suddenly grinned. “Hank? Hank, you ol’ rascal, is that you? Now I get it,” he said.

His double grinned back and held out his hand. “Jake? Well, I’ll be. When Flossie ran into the saloon and told me she’d just seen these two helping me into the clinic, I thought she’d been nipping at the merchandise. What brings you to these parts? And what did you do to yourself?”

“What brings me anywhere? Bounty huntin’—only the bounty decided to do a little huntin’ of his own.” He gestured to his bloodstained shirt. “Shot me in the side. I barely made it to the doc’s. You got a mighty interestin’ town here, Hank,” he said, ogling Dr. Mike.

“It does have its attractions,” Hank agreed. “Folks, this here’s my cousin, Jake Colter.”

“Cousin? You could be twins! We thought he was you, Hank,” admitted Loren.

“Twins?” repeated Hank. “Naw, Jake’s twice as old as me and only half as good-looking.”

“Twice…? Why, you low-down snake, you ain’t changed none since we was kids. I only got a few years on you, and I got all the good looks in the family. You always was jealous.”

“I would prefer it if you two could catch up on old times later,” said Dr. Mike. “Right now I want you all out of here. I have a patient to attend to.”

The two cousins spoke in unison.

“Anything you say, Michaela.”

“Anything you say, Dr. Mike.”

The three visitors left the clinic. Dr. Mike unbuttoned the bounty hunter’s shirt and began to pull it gently away from the bloody wound where it was sticking. Colter regarded her with a wolfish leer.

“It sure is a whole lot nicer being undressed by a pretty lady than by the boozy old docs I generally see, Doctor. After you’re done with my side, I wouldn’t mind havin’ you examine the rest of me,” he invited.

“You and your cousin really are two of a kind,” said Dr. Mike, giving the shirt a final yank.

Jake let out a yelp.

“Sorry,” she murmured.

*****

“Are you a happy man, Hank?” Jake Colter asked his cousin. He took a swig of whiskey and wiped his hand across his mouth.

They were in Hank’s saloon. Although the place was officially closed this time of morning, the two were having a last drink together before Colter hit the road again.

“Course I’m happy,” Hank responded from behind the bar. “Why shouldn’t I be happy? What kinda fool question is that?”

“Oh, I dunno.” Jake swirled the whiskey around in his glass and gazed into its amber depths. “Knew a fella once who asked everybody he met that question. He was a bounty o’ mine, till he turned out to be innocent—name was Lon Chase.” Jake took another swallow of the whiskey. “Question seemed ta mean a lot to him. I think about it every now and then since. Times I get to wonderin’ what it’d be like settled down in one place like you are. Don’t figure I’d take to it—I got itchy feet. Always got to be movin’ on.”

“Well, I like it fine,” Hank said. “It ain’t like I gotta stay here. I kin pick up and move on anytime I want—I done it before. Every town needs a saloon. It’s a good business.”

“Oh, I ain’t doubtin’ that. I’m partial to mine, though. Don’t hafta depend on no one but me. No worries about supplies, staff, customers. Less clutter and no overhead. It just comes down to me and the bounty.”

Hank considered all the people he had to work with every day—from the liquor salesmen to his girls to the customers. He also thought about the people he had to live with, the townspeople of Colorado Springs. Some of them, Michaela Quinn and the Reverend for instance, were royal pains in the butt. Even the good customers like Loren Bray and Jake Slicker got on his nerves at times. He thought about life on the road, always seeing new faces, new places. “Ever thought about takin’ on a partner, Jake?” he asked his cousin.

Colter snorted. “Worked with a partner on a case once,” he replied. “It worked out all right in the end, but I don’t reckon I could put up with even Hickok on a regular basis.”

“Hickok? You don’t mean Wild Bill Hickok?” Hank asked in disbelief. “What would a famous lawman like Hickok be doin’ workin’ with you?”

“Didn’t think I had friends in high places, eh, Hank?” Jake countered with a wide smile. “This was a few years back, before the war. We was both after the same bounty—that Chase fella I was tellin’ ya about. Hickok didn’t have no choice about teamin’ up with me. We didn’t make such a bad team—we cleared Chase, caught the real crooks, and I collected the reward.” Jake paused a moment as if considering a memory, then resumed his tale. “Went back to workin’ on my own after that. Wasn’t crazy about the effect a partner had on me. I don’t like ties. They cut into your profits and your edge. Gotta keep your edge in my business.”

“Yeah, I reckon.” Hank thought about the ties that had cut into his edge—two in particular. Two of his girls. One was his son’s mother. He never thought he’d get over losing her—hell, after her death he’d tried not to think, period. Then Myra had come along and he’d begun to think he might get over her after all—till he lost Myra, too, in a different way. Maybe Jake was right. Maybe it was better not to have any ties at all. If you only relied on yourself, you’d never have to worry about being left. There wouldn’t be anyone to leave you. No one to let you down but yourself. He finished off his whiskey.

Colter finished his as well. “Gotta be movin’ on. Can’t let that bounty get too far ahead o’ me. ‘Specially now that he’s made it personal.” He patted his side where Dr. Quinn had bandaged him up.

“You sure you’re fit to ride yet?” asked Hank.

“Hell, I’ve rode with worse than this. That lady doc o’ yours fixed me up real fine. I wouldn’t mind takin’ a chance at getting’ burned over that fiery armful.” He grinned reminiscently.

“Yeah, that’s Michaela all right. Fiery.”

Jake walked to the door of the saloon and looked out at the town. “Maybe you ain’t doin’ so bad here, Hank. You always was more sociable ‘n me, even when we was kids. I expect you’re happier around people. Lon Chase would likely agree.” He jammed his hat on his head and shook Hank’s hand. “Good seein’ ya again, Hank.”

“Good-bye, Jake. Good luck with your huntin’.”

Colter grinned. “Luck ain’t got nuthin’ ta do with it.” He walked out the door, mounted his horse, and rode off down the street.

Hank closed the door and walked back to the bar to pour himself another drink. Staring into the liquid, he thought over his conversation with his cousin.

Was he happy? It wasn’t a subject he was given to thinking about. He sure hadn’t felt very happy lately—ever since Myra quit to marry Horace. Now there were two people who were happy—leastwise, they sure looked it. Hank was frankly jealous—why couldn’t he be the one to make Myra happy? He thought it would make him happy to be with her, or at least happier than he was now. Of course, he didn’t actually want to marry her.

He put the glass down. What did he want? To be on his own, like Jake Colter? Always on the move, always alone? It sounded adventurous on the surface, but when he really thought it through it lost a lot of its appeal.

Loren Bray and Jake Slicker might get on his nerves, but they were the closest things to friends he had. Michaela might be a burr under his saddle, but things would sure be a lot duller without her around. Maybe his cousin was right—this one-horse town and these annoying neighbors weren’t so bad after all.

After spending an unaccustomed amount of time lost in thought, Hank still hadn’t figured out what would make him happy, but he came to two decisions that he thought might help him get there. First, he was going to sit down and write a long-overdue letter to his son. And second, he was going to stop by the general store and buy a wedding present for Myra.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> The characters of Jake Colter (also played by William Shockley, who played Hank Lawson) and Lon Chase appeared in The Young Riders episode "The Noble Chase".


End file.
